Agenda item

Councillor Bruce Baker attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillors.

Concerns and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

• Had lived in the area for the last 10 years and the road had previously been very quiet.
• Cars had been broken into with wing mirrors broken off, windows smashed and walls knocked down.
• A majority of the people living in the road were elderly and were afraid of the anti social behaviour currently taking place in The Sigers.
• Residents were now putting cars away this is the reason there had been no incidents reported recently.
• There was not felt to be any co-ordination between the Police and the Community Safety Team in relation to the number of incidents reported in The Sigers.
• Disappointed with the report and the final recommendations put forward.
• Meeting held in the afternoon as some residents not able to attend as they work.
• Safer Neighbourhood Team does not work past midnight.
• Provision of surveillance was not difficult as stated in report.
• A lot of residents are not aware that the Community Safety Team exists.
• There had been 14 incidents in 3 months, which was too many to be ignored.
• The installation of permanent CCTV is justified due to the number of incidents that had occurred.
• Consideration could be given to the installation of a CCTV camera for a trial period.
• During a trial period residents would report all incidents to establish effectiveness of the camera.
• Following a trial period the situation should be re-assessed to consider whether to keep or remove the camera.

The Cabinet Member listened to the concerns of the petitioners Ward Councillor and advised that he would be agreeing Recommendations 1 and 2 and amending recommendation 5.   Recommendations 3 and 4 would not be agreed.

The Cabinet Member stated that a temporary camera had previously been installed but had not recorded any incidents.  Residents should be able to expect peace and quiet and with that in mind recommendation 5 was to be amended to read:-

‘Officers investigate modern wireless temporary CCTV in consult with the lead petitioner, Chris Groom and Councillor Baker on the best location for the Camera.  That the camera be for an experimental period of 3 months with a report back to the Cabinet Member at the conclusion of the temporary period for a further decision to be made.

The Cabinet Member also advised that he believed there was merit in speaking to the Borough Commander to ensure that the Eastcote Safer Neighbourhood Team was aware of the problems in the area.   Control of the Police operations was not under the Authority’s control but a request for more input form the Safer Neighbourhood Team would be requested.

Officers advised the meeting that there was a process that needed to be followed before CCTV could be installed.  If after following the process and CCTV agreed it was hoped that a camera could be in place by the end of April.  In answer to an issue raised by the petitioner officers advised that the Community Safety Teams (CST) call were answered by the Contact Centre with any Anti Social Behaviour calls are forwarded onto the CST.

The Cabinet Member and Ward Councillors were to be advised of the timescale for the installation of the CCTV. 

Resolved

1.         Solutions to the problems in the area are not obvious due to the sporadic nature of the incidents and the residential nature of the area.

2.         The local Police Safer Neighbourhood Team had been asked to patrol The Sigers more frequently on Friday and Saturday evenings between 23:00 - 03.00, as these tend to be the peak times of the incidents after the pubs close.

3.         Officers investigate the purchase of a modern wireless temporary CCTV to be installed in The Sigers.  That in consultation with the lead petitioner, Chairman of Eastcote Residents Association and Ward Councillors the best location for the Camera be discussed.  That the camera be for an experimental period of 3 months with a report back to the Cabinet Member at the conclusion of the temporary period for a further decision to be made.